An existent device to deliver a powdery medicine into a nasal cavity of a patient suffering from asthma or nasal allergy (refer, for example, to JP-A No. 46-4094) is adapted for detaching a cap-type nozzle fitted detachably to the top end of a cylindrical member formed with an air discharge port of a pump that discharges air by squeezing a rubber ball with a hand, attaching a capsule filled with a powdery medicine to the inside of the cylindrical member, fitting the nozzle again to the top end of the cylindrical member, then pressing the pump formed as the rubber ball so as to squeeze in the direction of the nozzle, protruding the pointed top end of a needle contained in the pump passing through the capsule loaded in the cylindrical member from the air discharge port of the pump to a position reaching the nozzle, thereby making holes on both ends of the capsule and supplying air driven out of the air discharge port of the pump flowing through the inside of the capsule to the nozzle and spraying the powdery medicine in the capsule from the nozzle.
However, in the device described above, the operation is extremely troublesome since this requires to detach or attach the cap-type nozzle from or to the top end of the cylindrical member upon loading the capsule in the cylindrical body or take-out a used capsule from the inside of the cylindrical member, or press the pump so as to squeeze in the direction of the nozzle to protrude the needle contained in the pump after loading the capsule in the cylindrical member in order to make the holes on both ends of the capsule.
Further, after pressing the pump so as to be squeezed in the direction of the nozzle to make the holes on both ends of the capsule loaded in the cylindrical member by the needle protruded from the inside of the pump, when the pressed state of the pump is released for retracting the protruded needle into the pump, the powdery medicine in the capsule is sucked from the holes made to the end of the capsule on the side of the pump by the suction force generated upon recovery of the pump into an original shape and may possibly be sucked from the air discharge port of the pump into the inside of the pump.
Further, upon making the holes on both ends of the capsule, holes are not sometimes made at the ends of the capsule on the side of the nozzle depending on the case since the pump is not pressed to a position where the pointed top of the needle contained in the pump penetrates the capsule and, when the pump is actuated in this state, it may possibly cause a worry not only that the powdery medicine in the capsule is not sprayed from the nozzle, but also a portion of the powdery medicine may possibly be sucked into the pump.
Further, upon sticking the needle for making holes from one to the other side of the capsule loaded in the cylindrical member so as to be sandwiched between the air discharge port of the pump and the nozzle to make holes, since the end of the capsule is concaved inward by the pressing force of the needle to form a gap between the hole made at the end and the air discharge port of the pump or between the hole and the nozzle, the powdery medicine in the capsule can not be sprayed efficiently from the nozzle but a portion of the powdery medicine scatters into the cylindrical member to possibly cause a worry that the powdery medicine can not be sprayed by a necessary amount into the nasal cavity.
Further, when the needle is stuck to make holes on both ends of the capsule, since residues of the capsule broken through by the needle protrude at the periphery of the hole to hinder the flow of air for supplying the powdery medicine in the capsule to the nozzle, it may possibly cause a disadvantage that the entire amount of the powdery medicine in the capsule can not be discharged but remains in the capsule.
Then, the present applicant has developed a device capable of simply loading a capsule by one-touch operation and, at the same time, making holes on both ends of the capsule upon loading automatically, as well as with no worry of concaving the both ends of the capsule inward or scattering the powdery medicine in the capsule upon making the holes and also with no worry that residues of the capsule protrude to the periphery of the hole which may possibly hinder the air flow (refer, for example, to JP-A No. 2003-154006).
In the device, a capsule having holes formed on both ends in communication with a connection port on the side of the nozzle for spraying a powdery medicine into a nasal cavity and a connection port on the side of a pump for supplying atomized air to the nozzle is loaded between both of the connection ports and sprayed air is supplied from the pump through the inside of the capsule to the nozzle, thereby spraying the powdery medicine filled in the capsule, in which a capsule holder for loading the capsule between the connection port on the side of the nozzle and the connection port on the side of the pump is placed moveably forward and backward relative to a capsule mounting position, and both ends of the capsules held to the capsule holder and moving forward to a loading position between the connection port on the side of the pump and the connection port on the side of the nozzle are automatically cut off partially by a cutter thereby making holes on both ends thereof. Accordingly, it is possible to rapidly conduct the loading operation of capsule, the hole making operation of capsule, and the ejecting operation of the spent capsule in one-touch procedure.
Further, when both ends of the capsule are cut off by a cutter to make the holes, since residues that hinder the air flow are not formed at the periphery of the holes, the powdery medicine in the capsule can be sprayed thoroughly. Further, since both ends of the capsule are not concaved inward, there is less worry that gaps are formed between both ends thereof, and the connection port on the side of the nozzle and the connection port on the side of the pump to scatter the powdery medicine in the capsule through the gaps.
However, in a test for practical use of the device described above, it has been found that the diameter of the holes opened on both ends of the capsule varies and, in a case where the hole diameter is smaller than the open diameter of the connection port on the side of the nozzle or the connection port on the side of the pump, it is difficult to thoroughly discharge the powdery medicine in the capsule by the operation of the pump only for once. Further, in a case where the diameter of the holes made on both ends of the capsule is made substantially identical with or larger than the open diameter of the connection port on the side of the nozzle and the connection port on the side of the pump, while the powdery medicine in the capsule can be discharged most effectively, it has been found, in this case, that when a great amount of spray air is supplied instantaneously into the capsule by strongly gripping and squeezing the entire pump, the spray air leaks partially from the both ends of the capsule that abuts against the connection port on the side of the nozzle and the connection port on the side of the pump to scatter the powdery medicine in the capsule.